Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



R. J. FREEMAN.

MAIL BAG UATGHER AND DBLIVERER.

APPLIOATION'PILED MAY 18, 1912.

Patented Ja11. 14, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANouR/wn co..WASHlNlaTI'd` n. c.

R. J. FREEMAN.

MAIL BAG GATGHBR AND DBLIVERER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1912. y 1,050,634 Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CD., WASHINGTON, D. C.

. reenza/m l R. J. FREEMAN.

MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DELIVBRER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1912. 11,050,634. Patented Jan. 14,1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` R. J. FREEMAN.

MAH? BAG GATGHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY18,1912.

1,050,634 Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0..wASH1Nn1" c.

UNITED STATES kPATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD J. FREEMAN, 0F YOAKUM, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO RALPH R. ELDER AND NE-FOURTH TO ALEX MAY, JR., BOTH OF YOAKU'M, TEXAS.

MAIL-BAG- CATCHER AND DELIVERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 18, 1912.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD J. FREEMAN, a subject of Great Britain, residing at Yoakum, in the county of Dewitt and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail bag catchers and deliverers and t-he principal object of the invention is the provision of simple and efcient mechanism of this character which may be readily and conveniently thrown to operative or inoperative position and wherein the saddle bars and their respective guards may be alined with the track and car so as to avoid accidentscaused by projecting parts.

A further object of the invention resides in providing catchers with novel locking mechanism which prevents the accidental disengagement of the sack after the same has been initially caught therein.

Further objects of this invention will appear as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which p Figure 1 is a view showing the car mechanism in side elevation and the track mechanism in rear elevation and with sacks thereon in position to be engaged by the catchers. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism after the sacks have been caught. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the car catcher. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the saddle bars and its associated parts. Fig. 7 is a section taken through the saddle bars. Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents an ordinary mail car having a door opening 2 formed thereon, as is usual, so that the mail sacks can be received from the catcher and placed upon the saddle bars of the deliverer. Secured to the outside of the car adjacent the door is a bracket 3 to which is pivoted a supporting arm 4 having a diagonal brace rod 5 extending upwardly from a similar bracket 6 lower down on the frame. This supporting arm 4 carries a pair of separated standards 7 upon which saddle bars 8 are pivotally mounted.

These saddle standards have one vertical side 9 and three vertical sides 10 in which are formed holes 11 for the reception of pins 12 carried upon the guard plates 13 which are hinged to the saddle bars 8. By lifting the guard plates 13, the pins 12 are removed from the holes 11 and turning the saddle bar on the standard, the guard' plates may be made to aline with the supporting bar 4, as will be clearly understood. When this'is done, the plates are lowered so that the pins will engage the apertures on that side of the standard. The saddle bars are inclined from their outer ends toward the centers thereof so as to provide pockets for the reception of the mail bag. The outer end of the bar 4 is bifurcated, as shown at 14, and journaled in the bifurcation is a pivoting block 15 having a central aperture 16 extending therethrough adapted to pivotally receive a pintle 17 with a square section 18 having pins 19 extending from opposite front and rear faces thereof so as to be engaged by a hook 2O carried by a section arm 21 which runs parallel with the arm 4 and which is separated therefrom by blocks 22. Immediately below the squared section 19, the frame is reduced, as shown at 23, and j ournaled on the reduced portion is a square block 24 which is engaged in the bifurcated end of the bar 21. The frame then extends laterally into a finger supporting arm 25 which has pivoted thereon a sack engaging finger 26 having shoulders 27 formed thereon. This finger travels in a slot 28 formed in the guard arm 29 carried by the same and has hinged thereto for limited movement a guard finger 30. Pivoted to the frame is a pair of locking dogs 31 having shoulders 32 formed thereon to engage beneath the shoulder 27 on the ngers 26 when the latter is depressed by the sack, as will be hereinafter described. These locking dogs are normally held on top of the linger 26 and are limited in their upward movement by pins 33. When the finger 26 is engaged by the sack, it will be depressed into the space between the arms 25 and 29, the linger 30 will be raised to close the entrance, and the dogs will be dropped down on the sack and the linger 30 will thereby be prevented from lowering on account of the shoulders 32 engaging the shoulder 27 with the finger.

Secured to `the opposite side of the door frame are brackets 34 to which are secured separated bars arranged in parallel relation and having longitudinal slot-s 36 therein which are adapted to receive pivoted bolts 37 extended from opposite sides ofa brace rod 37, whose opposite end is pivotally connected to the bar 21. rIhis bar carries an auxiliary brace bar 38 inclined from a central point on the bar 37 to which it is connected and being pivotally secured to the bar 4 at its end. Pivo-ted to a plat` form 39 which extends between the brackets 34 is a pawl 40 having a no-tched free end to engage the end of the brace bar 87 so as to hold the same in position, whereby the catcher and deliverer on the car will be held in operative position. A pin 4l is carried by the pawl for manipulating the same and when the pawl is out of the path of the end of the brace bar 37, the catcher and deliverer may be folded back across the doorway, as shown in dott-ed lines in Fig. l. When this is done, the saddle guards are turned, as shown in dotted lines, and the catcher frame has its block 24 raised out of the bifurcated end of the arm 21, the frame being in alinement with said arm, as shown. Secured to the lower end of the frame is a diagonal foot 42 which will enter the slot of the upper bar 35, thus permitting the whole frame to be supported and to be held fiat against the car side.

It will be noticed from the structure described that the catcher frame is capable of horizontal movement in either direction upon the supporting arms or bars 4 and 2l and is also capable of vertical swinging to permit the position shown in dotted lines in The track structure comprises a base 43 which carries a turn table 44 of any suitable type and supported upon the upper plate of the turn table standard 45. This standard is suitably held in upright position by braces 46 at the upper end of which is mounted a platform 47. Extending outwardly from the platform is a supporting arm 48 which is braced to the standard by a diagonal strut 49. This arm 48 carries a pair of saddle bar supporting standards 50 with the usual saddle bars and guard plates, as heretofore shown and described at 8 and 13. IIhe bag to be delivered to the car is placed upon these saddle bars and is caught by the catcher, as will be readily understood. The upper partof the standard 45 is provided with converging supporting bars 5l whose outer ends are connected to the standard by a diagonal brace bar 52. The standard and horizontal arm 53 are separated from the arms 5l but lying in a parallel plane therewith, which arm together with the arms 51 hold the catchers 54 and 55 adapted to receive the bag from the saddle bars on the car mechanism. Each of the saddle bars used in the structure are bifurcated at their ends, as shown at 51, to pivotally receive retaining dogs 52 which have their lower end provided with a weight 53 which is raised so as to bring its beveled edge 54 against the under side of the saddle bar when the bag is removed.

In practice, if it is found necessary, the standard 45 may be made vertically or horizontally adjustable to obtain correct position of its catching and delivering mechanism with relation to the catching and delivering `mechanism on the car.

That is claimed is l. In a mail bag catcher, a rotating standard, a catching mechanism carried thereby, and deliveringmechanism comprising saddle bar supporting standards, and saddle bars mounted thereon for horizontal rotation, whereby the same may be turned at right angles to t-he path of travel of the train.

2. In combination, catching mechanism and delivering mechanism comprising supporting standards, saddle bars pivotally mounted thereon, and catcher shields hinged to the saddle bars.

3. In combination, catching mechanism and delivering mechanism comprising supporting standards, saddle bars pivotal y mounted thereon, catcher guards hinged to the saddle bars, and means to connect the guards to aplurality of sides of the standards.

4. In combination, catcher mechanism and delivering mechanism comprising a pair of vertical standards having apertures in three sides thereof, of saddle bars pivotally mounted to the top of the standards, guard members hinged to said saddle bars, and means carried by the guard members for entering the apertures in the standard.

5. In combination, catching mechanism and delivering mechanism comprising a pair of vertical standards, each having three inclined sides with apertures therein, saddle bars pivoted to the top of the standards, catcher guard plates hinged to the saddle bars, and pins carried by the catcher guard plates for entering the apertures in the standard.

6. In a device of the class described, a horizontal swinging supporting member, a pivoting block journaled therein for horizontal rotation, and a catcher mounted in the pivoting block for vertical rotation.

7. In a device of the class described, a horizontal swinging supporting member, a pivoting block journaled therein for horizontal rotation, a catcher mounted in the pivoting block for vertical rotation, and means for holding the catcher in operative position atright angles to the support.

8. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted support, a movable brace therefor, a catcher pivoted to the support for vertical and horizont-a1 movement, and means carried by the catcher for supporting it on the brace in alinement With the support.

9. A mail bag catcher comprising a supporting arm, a bag tripping finger carried thereby, a guard Iinger arranged at an angle to said irst iinger and operated thereby, a guide for the first nger, a pair of paWls pivoted to the arm and adapted to vrest upon said first inger, and coacting means on the paWl and inger for locking the finger after its initial operation by the sack.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of t-Wo Witnesses.

RICHARD J. FREEMAN:

Witnesses:

A. B. KERK, E. G. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

